US carrier Eisenhower to return to Norfolk for accident inspection
In short
The US aircraft carrier Eisenhower will return to Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia for inspection and full assessment of its aircraft launch and recovery equipment, the US Atlantic Fleet Naval Air Force said, after a Sept. 28 landing accident off the Virginia coast. Two pilots ejected and four ship personnel were injured in that accident; the pilots were rescued and returned to the ship. The cause is still under investigation, and navy technical experts will complete necessary maintenance before flight operations resume.
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The US aircraft carrier Eisenhower will return to Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia on the US east coast for inspection and full assessment of its aircraft launch and recovery equipment, the US Atlantic Fleet Naval Air Force said in a statement dated Oct. 2. Chinese outlets reported the statement on Oct. 5. [ 1 , 4 ]
The move follows an accident on Sept. 28. According to a US Navy bulletin that day, a carrier-based aircraft landing accident occurred aboard the Eisenhower off the coast of Virginia. Two pilots ejected from the aircraft and four ship personnel were injured. Search and rescue personnel recovered the two pilots, who returned safely to the ship. [ 1 , 4 ]
The reason for the accident is still under investigation, the navy statement said, and navy technical experts will complete the necessary maintenance before flight operations resume. [ 1 , 4 ]
Xinhua, CLS, Yicai and Jiemian all ran the story under the same headline, saying the Eisenhower will return home to undergo an accident investigation; Jiemian's report carried the full navy account and attributed it to CCTV News. The documents gave no date for the carrier's arrival in Norfolk, no assessment of damage, and no timetable for the resumption of flight operations. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The accident injured six people aboard a US carrier and now sends the ship home for checks on the equipment used to launch and recover aircraft, with flight operations suspended until maintenance is finished, according to the navy statement. The documents give no timetable for the carrier's arrival or for the resumption of flying, so the length of any disruption to the ship's operations is not known from the available reporting.
Key facts
- The US Atlantic Fleet Naval Air Force said in an Oct. 2 statement that the Eisenhower will return to Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia on the US east coast for inspection and full assessment of its aircraft launch and recovery equipment. [ 1 , 4 ]
- According to a US Navy bulletin on Sept. 28, a carrier-based aircraft landing accident occurred that day aboard the Eisenhower off the coast of Virginia. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Two pilots ejected in the accident and four ship personnel were injured. [ 1 , 4 ]
- The two pilots were recovered by search and rescue personnel and returned safely to the ship. [ 1 , 4 ]
- The navy said the cause of the accident is still under investigation. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Navy technical experts will complete necessary maintenance before flight operations resume, the statement said. [ 1 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Eisenhower will return to Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia for inspection and full assessment of its aircraft launch and recovery equipment. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- A Sept. 28 carrier-based aircraft landing accident off the coast of Virginia left two pilots ejected and four ship personnel injured. [ 1 , 4 ]
- The two pilots were rescued and returned safely to the ship. [ 1 , 4 ]
- The cause of the accident remains under investigation, and maintenance will be completed before flight operations resume. [ 1 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- When the carrier will arrive in Norfolk and how long the inspection and maintenance will take. No document gives a date for arrival or a duration for the checks; the statement only says maintenance will be done before flight operations resume.
- The extent of damage to the ship or to the aircraft involved. The documents describe the accident and the equipment to be assessed but give no detail on damage.
- The condition of the four injured ship personnel. Their injuries are reported but no further information on their status appears in the documents.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- A carrier-based aircraft landing accident occurs aboard the Eisenhower off the coast of Virginia; two pilots eject and four ship personnel are injured, according to the US Navy. [ 1 , 4 ]
- The US Atlantic Fleet Naval Air Force says the Eisenhower will return to Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia for inspection and full assessment of its aircraft launch and recovery equipment. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Chinese outlets report the carrier's return and the ongoing investigation, with the first reports appearing from 12:09. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]